zoneoptics
Galax, Virginia · General provision

§ 160-166

All Galax districts0

Dimensional standards

lot requirementsSTREETMIN LOT AREA5 acMAX HEIGHT55 ftMAX DENSITY10 du/acMIN OPEN SPACE50%
Plan view of the district’s stated lot requirements. Solid line: the property line. Dashed: the setback lines the ordinance imposes; a building must stay inside the tinted envelope. Drawn from the figures extracted below — illustrative, not a survey.

Lot

Minimum lot areaMinimum lot areaThe smallest parcel on which the district allows anything to be built.
217,800 sq ftsq ftSquare feet. An acre is 43,560 sq ft; a typical suburban lot is 7,000–10,000. (5 acacre43,560 square feet — about the size of an American football field without the end zones.)

Density

Maximum density
10 du/acredu/acreDwelling units per acre — the number of homes allowed on each acre of land.

Height & bulk

Maximum heightMaximum heightThe tallest a building may be, given in feet, in storeys, or both — whichever binds first.
55 ft
Minimum open spaceOpen spaceLand a development must leave unbuilt, sometimes required to be usable or planted.
50%

Housing

Single-familySingle-family dwellingOne dwelling unit on its own lot, usually detached from its neighbours.
conditionalConditional useAllowed only after a discretionary approval — usually a public hearing and a board vote.
Two-family
conditionalConditional useAllowed only after a discretionary approval — usually a public hearing and a board vote.
Three-family
conditionalConditional useAllowed only after a discretionary approval — usually a public hearing and a board vote.
Four-plus family
conditionalConditional useAllowed only after a discretionary approval — usually a public hearing and a board vote.

Uses

Permitted by right12

Accessory1

Extracted standards

7 individual requirements pulled out of this section’s prose, each with the sentence it came from.

Other

  • Maximum commercial area5 pct

    Not more than 5% of the gross area of the PUD project shall be devoted to commercial.

  • Minimum developed recreation space10 pct

    The required developed recreation space shall not be less than 10% of the total gross area of the PUD.

  • Private streets permitted with approval

    Private streets may be permitted in a PUD, provided that their construction standards are approved by the City Engineer.

  • Special use permitConditional useAllowed only after a discretionary approval — usually a public hearing and a board vote. required

    A PUD shall be allowed by special use permit in areas served by public water and sewage disposal systems.

  • Topography contour interval2 ft

    The topography of the project area at contour intervals of two feet.

  • Minimum tree caliper for inventory8 in

    The location of all trees with a caliper of eight inches or greater existing on the site prior to construction.

  • Underground utilities required

    Within a PUD, all utilities, including telephone, television cable and electrical systems, shall be installed underground.

From the ordinance

The minimum permitted size for any PUD shall be five contiguous acres. The permitted density shall not be more than 10 dwelling units per gross acre. Required open space not less than 50% of total gross area. Maximum height 55 feet.
§ 160-166